Hello from Calama!!! :D

Kristen leaving Copiapo 7 April 2014 for Calama

Hna Kristen Tuft eating dinner. Looks AMAZING! (Notice her blonde hair! WOW!)

Hna Kristen Tuft y Hna Millaquipai - companions in Copiapo April 2014

Hna Kristen Tuft with a dear friend she's leaving behind in Copiapo. April 2014

Hna Kristen Tuft with another dear friend she had to say goodbye to in Copiapo. ;( SHE LOVES THESE PEOPLE!

8 April 2014

(Written earlier today, Tuesday after her arrival.)

Hello Mom and Dad!! 

I got here in Calama great!  Today and this week will continue being crazy, but a little bit later I'll send a more detailed letter. :)  This is from President that we are supposed to send home and let you guys know what's up. :)  I love you both!  Thank you for your letters! I printed them off yesterday before I left and read them on the way, but I might not be able to respond to much this week.... But I do love you both and will write a little bit later! :)

XOXO, Kristen

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Hello All!

It has been an absolutely CRAZY week and doesn't end here.... :) I got here in Calama after a 12 hour bus ride north from Copiapó, and we are here in our apartment with 5 hermanas. :) The other 3 are "visiting" from the lovely earthquake zone of Iquique :) and la Hna Johnson goes back tomorrow to meet her companion there. The other two (mi querida Hna Matias :) and Hna Richins) are headed with us to Antofagasta for a leadership training on Thursday and will follow through to Iquique from there. :) My companion's name is Hna Morales from Mexico and we are the Sister Training Leaders here in Calama! She's finishing up her mission at the end of this transfer, so we should have a great time and I'm really excited to work with her. Right now, we're taking advantage of our time and I'm writing for a few minutes....and then come back in a couple hours and write a little bit more again.... Life is crazy and great and good. I LOVE THE MISSION. I have seen so many blessings and miracles here in my life, and in the lives of others.

We were not effected by the earthquake in Copiapó, and no one was hurt, luckily. They're just not staying in the cities for precaution purposes, but the missionaries have started returning to their sectors and the temblores have stopped from what we hear.

I'm back! :P My brain is going a million miles a minute right now. Forgive me if this letter is super duper crazy! I love my comp, I haven't met anyone from the ward or investigators yet, but we have a full week of great work ahead of us and I am SOOOO excited to be here in Calama. Can I just explain for 2 seconds the reaction that I got when I told people in Copiapó that I was headed here?? "Oh, mi pobrecita linda preciosa. Hace MUCHOOO frio y es lo más feo de todo Chile." AKA en inglés... "Oh my poor little darling. It's FREEZING cold and it is the ugliest city in Chile." Bahaha but I love it so far! It is cold at night yes, but right now the sun is blazing and Hna Richins told me that she has to put on sunscreen literally 5 times every day and still gets burned. Yaaaaay. :) Just what I need more of - SUN! NOT!

I loved General Conference!! I have a million notes that I could share, but for this week I just wanted to encourage all of us to truly make the most of our 4 Minutes, like Bishop Stevenson spoke about. We are in the race of life, and what we do now determines our future. What we choose today determines if we will get the opportunity to return to the presence of our loving Heavenly Father and to be with our families forever. I know that in the eternal scheme of things, this life is muy cortito. I know that I have a lot to work on and improve on, but I resolve to be a little better today than I was yesterday, to rely more on my Savior, and to be grateful for the time that I have, that truly the Lord has given me. Our 4 minutes is ticking; how will we use our 4 minutes this week? :)

I love you all! Thanks for your love and support. Please keep those more up north in your prayers as they get back to normal life! We were not affected much, but they were a lot, and I know it will be a long road of recovery. Thank you for everything! I apologize again for the scatteredness of my little head.... :P

All my love,
Hermana Tuft
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Hey Mom and Dad!

THANK YOU for the emails, updates and the pictures. I left Copiapó with very mixed feelings, and I am very sad to have had to go, but I know that there are people here waiting for us. I'm not one for change, but I love change for the chance to grow and change personal little things in my life.... :) It will be great. :) Next week I promise will be MUCHO MAS TRANQUILO. :) Les quiero MUCHOOO!

Con amor,
Kristen

P.S. I did want to see if you could send pictures and let me know about the Provo City Center Temple! :) And also...if you could send or share stories about our ancestors joining the church and coming to America and also your study of Preach My Gospel.... :) I want to start that with you two.... :D Please. :) ALSO last random thing, I was thinking about that family, Dad, that we saw on the side of the road while heading to Moab during one of the talks in conference... Do you remember that?? And this is really the last thing, YES, Ashley Eaton wrote me - Washington DC South/English speaking is so exciting!!!! :D YAYYAY!!!! :D :D :D Lots of love, Me. :)